What is the common name for the largest species of seahorse?

The big-belly seahorse is the common name for the largest seahorse species. It is also called the pot-bellied seahorse and has the scientific name Hippocampus abdominalis.

Adults can reach about 35 centimetres in length, making this species larger than familiar tropical seahorses such as the tiger tail seahorse and dwarf seahorse. It is native to temperate waters around southeastern Australia and New Zealand, where it inhabits seaweed beds, rocky areas, sponges and man-made structures such as jetty pilings.

Like other seahorses, it swims upright and uses its prehensile tail to anchor itself. Its tiny mouth acts like a short vacuum tube, sucking in small crustaceans such as shrimp, amphipods and copepods. Each eye can move independently, helping it watch for prey and predators.

The species also illustrates one of the most famous seahorse traits: the male carries developing embryos in a brood pouch. A female transfers her eggs into that pouch, where the male broods them until the young are released.